Last Scotland post... although I know for a fact I will be back to Scotland because it really does something to you - it pulls you in and plants itself right into your heart. At least that´s what I´m telling myself.
After the Fairy Pools, I drove to Inverness along Loch Ness. I met Mary at the B&B and we rejoiced! Mary was one of my first friends, been friends since kindergarten. How fun to have an adventure together across the seas! We set out into Inverness and walked around a bit. Inverness is the ¨Capital of the Highlands¨. Not as many people walking around as I would have thought but I loved the architecture. We followed the river out to a small island, crossed over, and walked through the wooded area, admiring the sculptures and trees.
We ended up at a local bar drinking Scottish beer and whiskey and listening to American music, yes the cover band was playing American music. Heard some Johnny Cash and Old Crow Medicine Show which was kind of cool. The bar was pretty packed but we had a lot of fun. Took a short break for some kebabs across the way and then back to the bar where we met Kevin and Richard. Kevin is Swiss and doesn´t really understand English that well, doing a tour through Scotland by himself on a motorcycle, and Richard is an Englishman living in Inverness for no other reason than he´s ëccentric¨and is stuck in the 1930s. They were rousing fun and we hopped around with them for awhile. Ended back at Richard´s to watch a black and white thirties movie before heading back to our B&B after dropping drunk Kevin off. Ah, new friends.
The next morning we had our traditional Scottish breakfast and had a long list of things we wanted to do. First stop, Loch Ness. We found an opening off the road that we climbed down and took some pictures, walked around, but unfortunately did not see Nessie (although I could tell she was near).
Next we went to Culloden Battlefield which was a defining moment in the battle between the Jacobites (followers of James) and the Whigs (British). The museum was really amazing, they had a large winding exhibit and then gave you GPS audio guides that would come on when you were at certain points in the battlefield which was behind the museum. We did as much of it as we could seeing as we got there a little late. As we were leaving we spotted some Highland Cattle and ran over to take some pictures, Mary fell in love with them.
Next was Clava Cairns, a remarkably old set of cairns, dating back... way back. The light coming through the trees and hitting the rock formations was pretty spectacular. We wandered around taking some pictures and going inside the cairns, when we were allowed to. It´s said that Clava Cairns, Stonehenge, and some cairns in Ireland are all at the same longitude which sets off the conspiracy theorists.
Then we headed east, to Lossiemouth. I had stayed in touch with Jason and wanted to see him again. Mary said she was up for a road trip so we went out there, stopping for dinner along the way. We reached there at dark, first time driving on the wrong side of the road in the dark mind you. Had a few beers with Jason and then returned to Inverness.
Another great breakfast and we were off to Edinburgh! But first we spent the day in and around Stirling and Falkirk. We went to the Blair Atol Distillery and took the tour. 99.6% of their whiskey is actually used for blended whiskies but we were able to taste their single malt. They are affiliated with Bell´s whiskey.
Then we found our way to the Falkirk Wheel which is an enormous lock system that looks similar to a ferris wheel. The museum was closed, but we were able to see the lock in work as it transported one last boat filled with tourists.
Next was The Plexies, two ENORMOUS horse statues in Helix Park. We wandered around admiring the metal work and kept commenting on how freaking big they were. I actually saw a small replica of them when taking the tram in Edinburgh at one of the stops.
And finally we decided to make a detour to see... The Pineapple. The Pineapple is an old house with a stone pineapple sprouting from the dome of the entrance, yes, a pineapple. The best part was, NO ONE WAS THERE. It was like we were in our own Secret Garden - Mary and... I guess I´ll be Colin, sigh. We wandered around appreciating the beautiful flowers and hidden doorways, all outside of the building. Wandered down a road lined with Redwoods (although much smaller than the California redwoods). It was so cool, very special.
And finally, returned the rental car to Enterprise unscathed. That in itself was a miracle. Took the tram into Edinburgh and checked into our hostel. As we walked to the hostel, up a ridiculous amount of stairs, we saw fireworks coming out of the castle. The Ferris wheel was lit up and everyone was out enjoying the Fringe Festival which goes on all August in Edinburgh. The Fringe Festival is so big I honestly don´t know it´s entire scope. We were bombarded by fliers for comedy shows, musical theater, plays, walking tours, magic shows, and musical acts. All the while we were people watching and saw people dressed like animals, super heroes, Highlanders, clowns. We saw people tap dancing, on stilts, doing magic, stripping, drag shows, Native American dancing, Hobo bands... I mean it doesn't even begin to paint the picture of Fringe. And we were right in the thick of it.
We went to WhistleBinkies (great name, right?) to see live music and get some beers. Next we went to a whiskey bar and met a nice English guy who bought us a bunch of whiskies to try, which we did, thank you sir. Back to Whistle Binkies and more pizza from the street (not with haggis on it though, although that was an option). Late night indeed...
The next day we went to the Elephant House where JK Rowling wrote the fourth Harry Potter book and had tea. It was boiling hot in the establishment so we left as soon as we were done and ran down to the cemetery where she found inspiration for some of the names in her book. We searched and searched but couldn't find anything (we did later on our tour though, the grave of Tom Riddell and a few more last names). Next we went to Mary´s Milk Bar in the Grassmarket area and got some ice cream, this place is renowned for their hot chocolate ice cream but it seemed too rich for us. We grabbed dinner and spent an hour or two relaxing at the hostel before our Terror Thrills Tour!
We met for the tour and heard all about the underbelly of Edinburgh and what it was like hundreds of years ago. The tour guide was excellent if not a little creepy (to be expected I suppose). The buildings in Edinburgh are about 5-6 stories high, but they used to be about 10-11 stories high, all built in wood (which would burn down). The alley ways had no light and there was excrement everywhere. Then he took us into a room filled with torture instruments and explained in rather intricate detail how they were used. And finally we entered the vaults. These vaults were sealed off and only found in the 1970s by some drunk college students who punched through a wall in their apartment. There are multiple layers and hundreds of them and they. are. CREEPY. We went from vault to vault, all lit by candles, or some of them were. The guide told us all these terrible stories of rape, murder, sickness, and ghosts. He explained a group of Wicans had settled in one of the vaults to work at changing the energy but even they had left after their head priest had died recently. The final vault was so creepy and I was already on so much of an edge I had to leave. I was starting to faint, I felt fuzzy and shaky and started to get tunnel vision. I had Mary and the guide lead me out. As I climbed down the staircase I saw my hand shaking visibly before me. Whew, just thinking about it is creeping me out.
Next day we took an amazing walking tour with Johnnie from Edinburgh, in full Highland regalia. He was hilarious, I will never go to a tour like that one, he was the best. We learned about Greyfriars Cemetery and the dog, Bobby, that waited for fourteen years after his master died at his grave, about Mercat Cross where the hangings and punishments were doled out, the Parliament building, the Literary Museum, Deacon Brodie (the idea behind Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde), and so much more. Best thing was Johnnie brandished a sword above his head for us to follow him, yes.
Next we walked around St. Giles Cathedral looking for the statue of an angel playing a bagpipe, but couldn´t get there without taking another tour. So we wandered and took some pictures, loving how beautiful the church was.
Next we went and checked out of the hostel and into our next Airbnb place, north of Edinburgh, but still in Edinburgh, in Portobello. We found the place but no one was answering!!! What were we to do? The proprietor was not answering her phone or texts and we just waited. Finally her son buzzed us into this unfinished front hall with construction equipment and no lights. I was like, Mary, I am not going up there, he is going to murder us. But up there we went and settled in. Her son was a bit weird, but it all worked out in the end.
We headed back to the city for dinner, but couldn't find anything open late, after 10pm. Finally we found a sushi place that would take us. Then we went back to our favorite bar, which we had found the night before, called Albach Bar, on the Royal Mile and our seats were waiting for us when we got there. Had more Innis & Gunn, the beer Mary had found that we both like. A drunk Englishman (seriously what is it with all the English people??) kept interrupting us so we let him into our conversation. We started talking about the Scottish Referendum and I asked Steven, ''you mean the Referendum for Scottish Freedom?" to which he asked what was wrong with me and was I William Wallace. It was hilarious, apparently it was an Independence Referendum¨but I still hold what I said. I think the Scots should be able to do what they want.
Next day we got into the city after our steak bakes and breakfast rolls and went straight to the Literary Museum, learning about Robert Burns and Sir Walter Scott who romanticized the Scottish highland culture. Really neat little museum.
Next was our Edinburgh Castle Tour which we had reserved the day before. We walked all the way up to the castle and had a pretty good tour from Colin, learning about Robert the Bruce, his son, and a whole new cast of characters. We went in and saw the crown jewels including the elder wand.
Then we raced back down into City Center to see a production of Pippin with the Fringe, followed by a stand up show from a guy we met at the Vault Tour. Then more drinks, dinner at a Thai restaurant where we met two very nice guys from Spain, and finally one more drink at our bar.
The next day Mary helped me get on the right bus and tram to the airport and she checked into her final place in Edinburgh for one night.
I heart Scotland, and I had an amazing time. I wish I could go into more detail, but I have found writing blogs needs to be snappy and you don´t always have time for everything. Hopefully once I upload my pictures they can tell the rest of the story :)
